There are trees down around the City of Decatur this morning, and some residents, businesses and schools are without power.

The current list of known downed trees and limbs in the City of Decatur, in no particular order:

198 Avery Street

453 S. Columbia

435 & 439 E Lake Drive

114 Olympic Place

928 3rd Avenue

116 Landsdowne

351 S. Mcdonough

928 3rd Avenue

923 S. Candler Street

919 S. Candler Street

Oakview and Sring Street

Mountainview & Sycamore Street

803 Ponce de Leon

116 Hurron

For the latest weather updates from the City Schools of Decatur, please visit the CSD website.

Please read through the severe weather tips posted yesterday if you have not done so already. It includes important phone numbers and information about registering for Code Red and Smart911.

GEMA’s One Minute Weather Outlook for Tuesday, April 29, 2014:

Hazardous Weather Outlook

Scattered showers to severe storms are expected to move east across Georgia this afternoon into tonight. The combination of moderate instability and strong wind shear could produce damaging winds and even the possibility of tornadoes. The strong and gusty winds from thunderstorms will have the potential to bring down trees that were weakened by the recent ice storms. Some severe storms may produce large hail and frequent cloud to ground lightning. Minor to significant river flooding will continue. A Flash Flood Watches is in effect for portions of far northeast and southwest Georgia through Wednesday evening.

Flood Warnings continue for the following rivers and creeks in Georgia:

Alapaha River at Statenville affecting Echols County
Altamaha River at Baxley affecting Appling, Tattnall, Toombs, and Wayne Counties
Altamaha River at Everett City affecting Glynn, McIntosh, and Wayne Counties
Ogeechee River near Eden
Satilla River at Atkinson affecting Brantley County
Savannah River near Clyo

Today:

Expect occasional showers and thunderstorms. Some storms may be severe. Highs will range from 70 to 90.

Tonight will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Expect occasional showers and thunderstorms after midnight with lows ranging from 58 to 71.
Wednesday will have occasional showers and thunderstorms with highs ranging from 68 to 88.
Thursday will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the south. Temperatures will range from lows between 50 and 68 to highs between 68 and 82.

Disclaimer: The information in this document is based on the latest forecast provided by the National Weather Service at the time this document was sent to the recipients. The National Weather Service will update their information and graphics as situations dictate. Please check with your local National Weather Service for the most current information for your area.

The latest weather update from DEMA / National Weather Service shows Decatur should be prepared for storms overnight and into the early morning. As of this posting, models are showing that the strongest part of the storm will most likely hit during the Tuesday morning rush hour. Everyone is urged to check the weather before getting on the road to go to work tomorrow morning.

As a reminder, turn your weather radio on and keep your phone close for Code Red/Weather Warn messages. Have a plan to take care of your family as well as your pets. Please don’t leave your pets outside during severe weather.

There is the possibility of tornados, hail and flash flooding in and around the City of Decatur. The community is urged to stay off the roads if possible once the heavy rain and thunderstorms start. Severe weather could continue in the area through Thursday.

Power outages or trees on power lines should be reported directly to Georgia Power at 1-888-891-0938.

The police non-emergency number is 404-373-6551.

Have a plan to check on any vulnerable neighbors (for example, seniors or those with medical conditions) during and after the storm.

When contacting loved ones, a text message is more likely to get through in an emergency situation than a phone call.

Tornado sirens: What you need to know

Decatur has installed four outdoor sirens to warn the community when such a threat occurs. The sirens are located at Glennwood Academy, Winnona Park Elementary, Oakhurst Elementary and the City Schools Administration Building on Scott Boulevard.

What are Tornado Outdoor Warning Sirens?

They are alarms that will be sounded to alert citizens who are outdoors that a tornado may be imminent. They are not designed to be heard inside a home or other building.

Who decides to sound the sirens and when will I hear them?

Sirens will be sounded by personnel in Decatur’s Police Communications Center when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for the Decatur area or when a tornado is spotted by a member of public safety. The sirens will sound for three to five minutes.

What should I do when I hear the siren?

Take immediate cover. Go indoors to a safe room at ground level or below with as few windows as possible. Basements are usually the best option. If you are in a vehicle and see a tornado approaching, get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building. If a building is not available, lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands. Be aware of the potential for flooding. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location. Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter. Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries. Stay in a safe place until the weather improves.

How will my family be alerted indoors and at night?

Everyone must take personal responsibility to monitor radio and television weather reports when severe weather occurs. In a crisis, the Emergency Alert System instantly interrupts radio and TV broadcasts to provide emergency information. The National Weather Service (NWS) uses the system to alert the public to emergency weather information and dangerous conditions. EAS warnings are also transmitted on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio. Since neither the sirens nor the media may alert you indoors at night, we recommend that households and businesses have a Weather Alert Radio, which sounds an alarm when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning. If you buy a radio, we strongly recommend you purchase one that is programmable with your local county code.

Conditions as of this posting remain above freezing in the City of Decatur, but the temperature is expected to drop late tonight. There is a serious threat of accumulation of ice on trees and power lines tonight and tomorrow, and this combined with expected heavy winds could result in power outages.

As a precaution, please go ahead and fully charge cell phones and medical devices now. If the power does go out, contact Georgia Power at 1-888-891-0938 to report the outage. Georgia Power has crews pre-staged in the area to respond to any losses of power. Please only call 911 in the event of a life-threatening emergency, not simply to report a power outage. You may also call the Decatur Police non-emergency number if you require public safety assistance: 404-373-6551.

If there is a loss of power, the city may use the CodeRED Emergency Notification System to communicate with the community. Please take this opportunity before a power outage occurs to register your phone number here.

About CodeRED:

CodeRED Emergency Notification System is a telephone communication service that allows us to quickly notify citizens of emergency situations requiring immediate action.

All residential phone numbers in the BellSouth/AT&T system should be in the telephone database. All city of Decatur businesses should register, as well as individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, who have changed their phone number or address within the last year, and who use a cellular phone as their primary home phone.

The system can dial up to 50,000 phone numbers per hour and deliver a recorded message to individuals or their answering machines.

Most city offices will be closed tomorrow (Wed., Feb. 12), and City Hall will operate with a limited staff. As of this posting, City Hall is expected to open at noon on Thursday, Feb. 13. Continue to check TheDecaturMinute.com for the latest weather updates and city closings.